


Sooner than you think

by booklover4eva (orphan_account)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-21
Updated: 2015-06-21
Packaged: 2018-04-05 09:06:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4174101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/booklover4eva
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin is found and brought to Storybrooke to rid Emma of the dark curse but the cure leaves everyone reeling.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sooner than you think

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys new story!  
> Hope you all like it and feedback is always appreciated! :)  
> as usual i own nothing and no one.

It's been two months since Emma became The Dark One and they've finally found Merlin and brought him back to Storybrooke.

After they explained how Emma sacrificed herself, Merlin agreed to provide them with the information they need to get rid of The Dark One's curse once and for all.

 

The Charmings, Emma, Regina and Henry were stood in Emma's apartment with Merlin as he explained how to get rid of the curse.

"There are two ways to destroy the curse; the first being True Love's Kiss of course." Merlin began.

 

"But we already tried that." Henry said, he had already kissed her the day after she became The Dark One and had been quite upset when it hadn't worked.

 

"Yes i heard about that, and though i'm sure you love your mother very much this curse is very powerful and needs romantic love rather than familial love." Merlin explained gently and Henry seemed to accept what the sorcerer was telling him.

 

"So who's Ma's True Love then?" Henry asked excitedly.

 

"That I don't know, all i can tell is that they are in Storybrooke, other than that I have no idea." Merlin shrugged apologetically.

 

"I know who it is." Emma spoke and everyone turned to stare at her.

 

"How and who is it!" Snow demanded of Emma who smiled slightly at the other womans enthusiasm.

 

"Being The Dark One means I can see things others can't and as for who, it doesn't matter." Emma replied looking saddened by something.

 

"Of course it matters Miss Swan, now tell us who it is so we can rid you of this ridiculous curse." Regina snapped at her, she had been pulled away from Robin and he was waiting for her back home.

 

"Guys can you give me and Regina a moment please." Emma said and the others nodded and left the room.

 

"Well!" Regina snapped again, her patience was wearing thinner by the second.

 

Emma sighed and looked at Regina in resignation. "It's you." She said.

 

"What's me?" Regina asked.

 

"You're my True Love Regina." Emma said.

Regina laughed and Emma winced at the sound. "Very funny Miss Swan, now tell me who it really is."

 

Emma's expression darkened and Regina gulped, she had forgotten for a moment what the blonde was.

"This is not a joking matter Regina, I am being serious, you are my True Love whether you like it or not." Emma growled at the brunette who shook her head in denial.

 

"It can't be true, I love Robin." Regina insisted, ignoring the flicker of guilt she felt when Emma's eyes flashed with pain before becoming neutral.

 

"I know, why do you think I didn't say anything earlier. I didn't want you to feel like you had no choice, you've been forced into things before and i didn't want to do that to you again." She said.

 

"Well then you'll just have to find a different way, because i'll be damned if I let another one of your family destroy my chance at happiness again." Regina snarled at the blonde who's expression changed from devestated to devoid of emotion by the time she had finished speaking.

 

"As you wish Regina." Emma said dully.

 

There was a knock at the door and Snow popped her head around the door. "Can we come back inside yet?" She asked looking between the two women. She could tell something had changed between them as Regina looked tense and Emma looked tired and upset. Both women nodded and the rest of the group rejoined them.

 

"As I was saying one of the ways of undoing the dark curse is True Love's Kiss so if Emma would tell us who it is we can put this whole thing behind us and move on." Merlin spoke and everyone turned to Emma expectantly.

 

Emma tensed up and spoke through gritted teeth. "Not gonna guys so lets talk about the other option instead."

 

"What! why not!" Henry exclaimed.

 

"It's complicated kid." Emma replied. "Now can we move on?"

 

"Why is it complicated?" Snow asked in confusion. "Surely whoever it is will be delighted to find out?"

 

Emma laughed hollowly. "Yeah you'd have thought so wouldn't you but they already know and they rejected me."

 

"But... why!" Snow exclaimed, she couldn't understand why anyone would reject Emma, she was every mans' dream and a lot of womens' too if Ruby were to be believed.

 

"Drop it now mom!" Emma snapped at her, anger clouding her features.

Snow flinched at the tone in her daughters voice and Emma immediately felt bad. "They already have a True Love ok." She said in a softer tone.

 

Snow looked like she was about to say something else but after a glare from Emma she shut up.

 

Merlin cleared his throat and everyone returned their attention to him. "If you are sure the True Love route is unavailable?" He asked Emma who nodded. "In that case I need to speak to the Saviour alone for a moment." He said.

 

"Oh for gods sake, some of us have things to do you know!" Regina snapped at him.

 

"Then go Regina, this doesn't concern you anymore. I'm not even sure why I invited you anyway." Emma said, she gazed at the other woman and Regina frowned at the disappointment in Emma's eyes.

 

"Yes well that makes two of us dear. Come along Henry, we're going home, I need to start dinner for Robin soon." Regina held out her hand for Henry as she ignored that feeling of guilt again. She shouldn't be feeling guilty, Robin is her soulmate no matter who thinks otherwise.

 

Henry looked at Emma for a moment before sighing and taking Regina's hand.

 

"Hold on a moment, I just need to get something." Emma said as she quickly went to her room. she came out again a moment later holding an envelope and gave it to Henry who stared at it curiously.

 

"What is it?" He asked.

 

"Open it when you get home and you'll find out." Emma said, refusing to meet his eyes as she hugged him goodbye.

 

"Ok Ma, love you." Henry said as he hugged her back.

 

"Love you too kid always." She replied and with a last squeeze she released him and he and Regina left the apartment in a swirl of smoke.

 

Snow and Charming left soon after saying they would be waiting outside.

 

Merlin turned to the blonde but before he spoke Emma cut him off.

 

"I already know what you're going to say, and i'm ready." Emma said sadly.

 

"I'm truly sorry Emma, I wish thete was another way. Are you sure your True Love won't help?" He looked at her pityingly.

 

"You saw how she was, and to be honest i'm not sure I could ever be with someone so cruel. She only mentioned Robin to spite me you know." She said, the tears she had been fighting now spilled down her cheeks. "She said she'd be damned before she let me ruin her happiness again." Emma was now openly sobbing as Regina's rejection hit her full force.

 

Merlin held Emma awkwardly while she cried and patted her back when she regained control.

 

"What will you tell the others?" He asked.

 

"The truth." She shrugged. "Well part of it anyway, i'm not planning on telling them about Regina. They'd just blame her and that's not what she needs right now." Emma explained.

 

"You continue to amaze me Emma, you have such light inside you that even when Regina cruelly rejected you, you are still protecting her." Merlin said, awe evident in his voice as he spoke.

 

"I took on the dark curse for her, her rejecting me is nothing compared to the pain of having this thing inside me." Emma said but Merlin could see that wasn't true, Regina had broken the blonde when she threw her feelings back in her face. But he understood why she felt the need to pretend, even if it was just for a while.

 

Emma called her parents back inside and explained what needed to be done while Merlin watched on. Snow and Charming were devastated and fought with Emma, trying to convince her to find another way.

 

"Don't you see, there is no other way!" Emma shouted at them. "Do you have any idea of the kind of agony i'm in?" She asked them. "I can remember everything The Dark One has done, each version worse than the last. I'm dying anyway, I won't last another month." Emma said. Snow was crying and her father looked ill.

"I wasn't supposed to have this much darkness inside me. Please just let me go." Emma begged her parents. They could see the pain in her eyes, now that they knew what to look for it was obvious how drained she was. Her eyes no longer sparkled, her hair was messy and dirty and her clothes hung off of her body.

Though it pained them to do so they nodded their agreement and Emma visibly relaxed.

 

"I've made arrangements for Henry, the letter I gave him explains everything as well as my will. I've left him everything including the apartment." She explained. Snow and Charming nodded feeling too numb to comment.

 

She turned to Merlin next. "Thank you for all of your help."

 

"You're welcome Saviour though I can't help wishing things would've turned out differently." He replied sadly.

 

"I know and I wish that too but every future I see ends the same, she always rejects me, whether it be today or a year from now it always comes down to this." Emma smiled kindly at him.

 

Snow looked puzzled for a moment before realising what her daughter had said. "Regina is your True Love!" She exclaimed in surprise.

 

Emma winced at the slip up and cursed. "Yes but it doesn't matter, she doesn't want me and I refuse to force her into anything." Emma responded in a tone that forbade any arguments.

 

Emma hugged both her parents ad they cried. "I love you both and these past few years have been the happiest of my life, never forget that." She said and with a last hug she turned to stand with Merlin.

 

"I'll bring her back when it's done." He said. Emma smiled one last time at her parents before vanishing in a cloud of gold smoke.

 

Regina watched the image in front of her in horror. She didn't realise that was the other option, she had thought it would just involve a spell they hadn't found in their search. She watched Emma disappear with Merlin and Snow collapse in Charmings arms sobbing hysterically.

 

Charming looked up and seemed to pierce through the mirror to look right at her. "Seen enough Your Majesty" He asked venemously.

 

"I'm sorry, I didn't know!" Regina choked out even though she knew he wouldn't be able to hear her.

 

Snow startled at Charmings voice and followed his gaze to the mirror on the wall. "David don't, it's not what Emma would want." She said softly.

 

He sighed and turned his attention back to his wife. "I know, I just..." He suddenly went rigid and let out a howl of anguish.

 

"No no no!" Snow cried as they felt their daughter leave them again, knowing they couldn't follow.

Their motto rang mockingly in their minds as they cried, for she had gone to a place where they would never find her again.

 

Regina gasped as she felt something tearing inside her.

"It's true." She whispered. "She really was my True Love." Regina slid to the floor and cried as she listened to the cries of despair ringing through the town as everyone felt the Saviours' passing.

 

It wasn't until she heard Henry cry out that she moved from the floor.

 

"Mom!" He shouted out and Regina ran upstairs to see him sat on his bed surrounded by papers. "She's gone isn't she?" He asked tearfully.

 

Regina moved the papers out of the way and held him as he cried.

"Yes Henry, i'm so sorry but it was the only way." She cringed as she realised that was a lie, it wasn't the only way and if she had been braver Henry would still have both his mothers. She felt tears in her eyes as she remembered how cruel she had been towards the other woman and felt fresh guilt as she remembered the last thing she had said to the blonde.

 

"She left me a letter explaining everything." Henry said dully.

 

Regina tensed up and waited for him to blame her for Emma's death. He handed her the letter and she was surprised to see no mention of her or True Love at all. The only things it said was that the curse was killing her anyway, that she was leaving everything to him and for him to take care of Regina.

 

When Regina had finished reading she had fresh tears running down her face again. Henry held her for a time while she calmed down and handed her another envelope with her name on it. "Ma left this in there as well, I haven't read it." He said.

 

Regina opened the envelope with shaking hands, half expecting it to be a decleration of love and half expecting it to blame her, she was surprised to find it only contained a short paragraph explaining that she knew Regina would reject her, that Regina always rejected her in every future she saw.

 

I know that by the time I've gone you will have realised i was telling you the truth when we last spoke, and you are probably convinced that you wouldn't reject me now. But i have seen every possibility and unless i forced you to kiss me you would never believe me and that is something i would never do.

My family has spent too long taking away your choices and i promised myself that i would die before i did the same and i always keep my promises. i love you Regina and the only thing you need to know is that you are not to blame and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. x

 

Emma's funeral was held a few weeks later and everyone attended even Regina, though she hung back in the shadows where no one could see her cry. She had broken up with Robin the next day and watched as he sat with Zelena and their new baby. The girl had Robins' blonde hair and Zelenas' green eyes and gurgled happily oblivious to the sombre proceedings around her. She had been born on the same day as Emma's death and her parents had named her after the fallen Saviour. When Robin told Snow she had teared up and hugged them both. "Emma would've felt honoured that you named your daughter after her." She had said.

 

Zelena approached her after the funeral. "Hey." She said softly. "How are you?" Everyone knew Emma's death had hit Regina hard but only three people knew why, Snow and Charming knew because Emma had told them and Henry had found out after she had gotten drunk and confessed everything to him one night. He didn't blame her though and when she had asked why he just shrugged. "Because you were scared of being hurt again." She cried again when he said that, she knew she had Emma to thank for his compassion because she knew he didn't get that from her.

 

Baby Emma interuppted her thoughts by crying and Regina automatically picked her up out of her sisters arms. She quietened instantly and gazed at Regina with eyes that seemed to look right inside her soul. There was something about the childs eyes that seemed to know far too much for being only weeks old and Regina felt hope stir in her chest as she remembered the last line of Emma's letter.

 

Though i am gone don't lose hope because we may meet again, sooner than you think.

 

"Hello Emma" Regina said softly.

The baby gurgled in response and smiled lopsidedly at her. Regina laughed in response. 'We meet again indeed Saviour' she thought wryly.

**Author's Note:**

> look me up on tumblr at booklover4eva2015 and leave a prompt.  
> or drop me an email at kitry@hotmail.co.uk


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